Updated November 1, 2017 at 10:40 PM;Posted November 1, 2017 at 9:50 AM

New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram (22) fumbles the ball in the fourth quarter during the game between the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints at the Superdome on Sunday, October 29, 2017. (Photo by Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Sunday's game wasn't the first time New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram has had fumbling issues.

In 2016, Ingram lost fumbles in back-to-back games in Weeks 7 and 8, and when he lost one in the first quarter of the Week 8 game against the Seattle Seahawks, coaches benched him for the rest of the game.

In Sunday's 20-12 win over the Chicago Bears, Ingram lost two fumbles in the final 8 minutes of the fourth quarter, ending two drives when the Saints hoped to run out the rest of the clock. He was effectively benched for the Saints' final offensive drive -- not including the one with two kneel downs to run out the clock -- as rookie Alvin Kamara took the final three handoffs.

It's unclear if that was the extent of Ingram's punishment for the mistakes that were costly but ones the Saints overcame to win the game, but coach Sean Payton expressed confidence in Ingram moving forward.

"I'm sure he'll respond, and I think that every once in a while something like this happens," Payton said Wednesday. "The second time it happened in the game, in the 4-minute (drill), I know he was disappointed and upset. I was upset."

Ingram responded well after the benching last season. In Week 9, he ran for 158 yards on just 15 carries, including a 75-yard touchdown, in a blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The biggest problem with Ingram's fumbles last Sunday was the timing. The Saints had a comfortable two-possession lead before Ingram's mistakes gave the Bears a chance to mount a comeback. Ingram accepted responsibility after the game, saying 18 times that he "sucked" and that his problems were the only reason the game was close.

"Situationally, you're carrying the ball, and you're carrying everyone's hopes and dreams, not just your own," Payton said. "He'll work to fix that, and I'm sure he will."

Payton agreed when a reporter suggested that Ingram had been an important part of the offense so far this season. Ingram leads the Saints with 107 carries for 464 yards and four rushing touchdowns. He's also second on the team with 30 receptions.

Rookie Alvin Kamara looks capable of handling a bigger role if the Saints want to limit Ingram's opportunities next Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kamara is averaging an impressive 5.8 yards per carry and is second on the team with 31 receptions.

Kamara nearly lost a fumble last Sunday, too, but an official review reversed the initial turnover. As it stands now, Ingram has fumbled three times and lost all of them while Kamara hasn't fumbled at all.